Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Remembering

On September 11, 2001, I was just getting up and getting ready to start my second day at my first County job. I was working for a department located in Koreatown. I was up early, and so was Patrick. We were listening to NPR, and then, after hearing them talk about what was happening in New York, we turned on the television.

I got in my car and drove to work.

At the time it was so scary and unreal to me, I was afraid to really listen or hear the details of what was happening. I remember that Patrick got a little frustrated with me because I didn't want to know about the people who died or how they died or talk about the controversies or politics of it, or anything about it, really. Years later, I was more willing to try to absorb exactly what had happened: I've read a lot about it, actually. I finally allow Patrick, who did pay attention and knows much more than I do about it, to discuss it with me.

I still get overwhelmed when I think about it, and I was just a bystander - not even there: I was a viewer. I saw it on television or through the eyes of the NPR reporters. It had no personal affect on me... and yet it does.

To all the innocent people who lost their lives, to their families, to those who died trying to help -- thank you. I remember.